i-Ram

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

Three classic comments from the interview:
1) My putting the Club into Adminstration gives it a better chance of finding a Purchaser it desperately needs. Mmmh. Really not sure it does Mel. Let’s be honest it is much more the case that you are simply not prepared to put any more money into the club, notwithstanding you are still comfortably in the top 500 richest people in the UK.
2) No one can continue to put money into the club (£3m pm, down to £1.5m pm more recently) in perpetuity. Mmmh. I wonder who created the income/expenditure imbalance and indebtedness? Any ideas Mel?
3) I’ve been prepared to sell the club for £15m less than I bought it for. Mmmh. Did the club have a Stadium and a decent team when you bought it Mel?
I have had little time for this guy since around 2016, and today he confirmed all my worst fears.

When he first said his job was to bring the dignity and pride back to the club a while ago, I raised an eyebrow, particularly given what happened later that evening.
Wayne Rooney has many talents, but I thought that was something of a stretch.
Yet in a time of crisis, it turns out he is actually a real leader, and has the emotional depth and intelligence to become a figurehead.
I wanted him gone last season, even started a thread saying so, but recent events have made me re-evaluate his contribution.
He's the leader of the resistance, and today was a test he pulled off with aplomb.
More tests lie ahead, somehow this might not be the darkest moment, but I now see we've got a steady hand on the tiller.
 
 

Well said, Mr Rooney.
His role as a leader has already transcended his role as manager of a football team.
And it has clearly demonstrated to Morris what leadership actually is.

I'm fed up with the current Wayne Rooney thread so am continuing on this one. There's an article in the Telegraph to quote from:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/09/18/Derby-county-temporarily-lift-gloom-victory-stoke-administration/
"Rooney revealed he only found out the news on Friday night at his Knutsford home, while also admitting he had not spoken to owner Mel Morris for weeks...It’s a very difficult and emotional moment for everyone,” he said. “We’re going to have tough times ahead in the near future but it’s my job to start rebuilding this club.

“If it is nine or 12 points [deducted] we might have a chance [of survival]. If it goes beyond that then we might have to start preparing for League One as well. We have to look at every possibility, and treat it very seriously.

“I’d imagine there will be staff members who will lose their jobs, who have mortgages and bills to pay. To have that snatched away from them is heartbreaking.

“These fans deserve my full attention and I’ve got to make it a more attractive club for potential investors to come in. It’s important to get the right people to run this club properly.”
 

I listened to the interview. I think Ed did an ok job, easy for us to stand back and say he didn’t ask that or he didn’t ask this. Not all the questions we wanted answering were answered but they were never going to be. 
Mel made some extremely valid points. The football financial model is broken. It isn’t a level playing field. Only 2 non-parachute payment clubs have secured promotion without breaking P&S. Parachute payment clubs are insulated to Covid, clubs recently promoted have a cost base that can cope and will make equal/more revenue from additional TV money that balances out loss of gate revenues, the non parachute funded clubs with bigger attendances who have been showing ambition and pushing the boundaries of P&S just to try and compete with the parachute funded clubs were always going to be hit harder by Covid. Without Covid we wouldn’t be going into administration. All those points cannot be argued. We were starting to cut our cloth accordingly with Cocu but then Covid pulled the rug out from under us. It can’t be denied it’s a fact.
His comments about the inconsistencies and punitive nature of the EFL were also interesting. The defence of our amortisation policy was fierce and in my opinion completely valid. Its a disgrace we’re in the dock over this - anyone who says otherwise is swallowing the guff that the EFL are clubs pushing them on this are leaking out to the national press to build this ridiculous idea we are cheats.  The EFL are not fit for purpose and an independent regulator is required.
Mel even admitted he gambled and failed but that’s the only way to compete season after season against parachute funded clubs, that is no different to other owners of clubs who avoided P&S issues through being fortunate enough to be promoted.
But the interview didn’t cover/push the fact he gambled but wouldn’t stand behind his debts and plunged us into administration up to the eyeballs in debt (unless we’re taking from today he no longer has the means), glossed over his mismanagement in particular wages, joiners gate etc.
 
He also seems to think administration will be the miracle cure that gets us a new buyer to take us forward, with £60m debt majority of which won’t be wiped through the process and will need servicing at some point. Until we get a buyer, who will be funding the £1-£1.5m Mel has been funding up to now, how will we pay players? Will it just be more points deductions for not paying players or could it be worse, at what point will the club be forced to liquidate and how quickly could that arise - could it be before Jan as we can’t sell any players until then, so will we need to sell moor farm to get us through (given Mel still has PP for the moment although he has said he will offer that up to the new buyer as part of this deal). None of these questions have been answered and frankly I’m not bothered about all the other points he made, it’s already done, cannot change it, I want to know how this club can survive until January now he has taken this decision to put us in administration and threaten the club’s existence.
Im pleased he did the interview, I think he tried his best I think he cares about the club but he will always be remembered as the owner who nearly killed the club, let’s hope he’s not remembered and the owner who killed it.

This was the part of the interview that made the least sense of all though. It's a real pity neither Nicholson or Dawes challenged him on it or at least asked him to elaborate.
If Mel was prepared to let the club go for nothing as long as the debt was paid off, how does it benefit a potential purchaser to wait for us to go into Administration? The purchase price was already zero and as per Keiran Maguire's analysis, the excellent summary here https://www.football365.com/news/Derby-county-administration-failure-opinion, and the Peter Marples facebook post, most of the debt will still have to paid off in full even after coming out of Administration (i.e. the debts to HMRC and to MSD etc).
So, a prospective purchaser who decides to wait it out will, due to the interest continuing to acrue on the loans, just increase the amount of debt they're going to inherit as it will just keep rising. Add to that the obvious point that going into Administration virtually guarantees relegation to League One due to the 12 points deduction and it means that any new owner would be buying a club with an even less sustainable business model than we already have (much lower TV money, lower attendances, less sponsorship income etc). Just from a purely business perspective, why would a prospective owner decide to do that? And from a football point of view, they'd have already demonstrated that they didn't have the interests of the club at heart anyway.
Mel's optimism that going into Administration will magically unlock the transfer of the club to new owners who have been waiting in the wings just seems unfounded to me. I hope I'm proven entirely wrong...
 

The man is a fool, and he has failed the club and himself. He complains that Covid left the club £20m short, but has more or less detailed over £20m of bad decisions in his interview. Those bad decisions have been stacking up for years. As a fan, I had always believed he had those bad decisions covered, so ultimately it was simply at his own risk. Instead, he took the risks and then stacked the consequences on the club, and you, and me, and all the suppliers, staff and players who are now in jeopardy. Awful.

Lets not forget, we are in administration because Mel stopped paying the bills. No other reason. His public explanation is he did that because he can't be rid of the club until he's stopped paying bills because no one will buy it in it's current state.
Whatever the reasons, the blame all goes to Mel in the end.
Now, Mel Morris is still a rich man. The bills did not stop being paid because Mel is insovlvant.
If the entry into adminsitration is the only way to get new ownership in, it really does not say a lot for your stewardship does it.

If Derby ever managed to buy a player for less than they were worth the EFL would DEFINITELY investigate, because who would believe it possible?